“Conservative MPs have criticised the Government for abstaining in a UN vote calling for an effective ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. On Friday, the UN General Assembly overwhelmingly passed a resolution calling for an “immediate, durable and sustained humanitarian truce leading to a cessation of hostilities”. While 14 countries including Israel and the US voted against the resolution, the UK was one of 45 nations to abstain, despite Rishi Sunak saying last week that it was not government policy to support a ceasefire. Some 120 countries voted in favour. On Saturday morning, James Cleverly, the Foreign Secretary, said the government’s stance had not changed… Sir Iain Duncan Smith, a former Tory leader, told The Telegraph the Government had made an error in not voting against the resolution.” – Sunday Telegraph
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“A furious senior Cabinet Minister has told the body responsible for funding Britain’s scientific research that she is “outraged” it has appointed Hamas terrorist sympathisers to key positions. Michelle Donelan… has written to the head of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) giving her 24 hours to explain why Hamas sympathisers have been appointed to senior positions. The senior minister has also raised concerns more widely over how UKRI under its chief executive Professor Dame Ottoline Leyser, is adding extra burdens on getting research funding by insisting on extra demands to meet equality standards… In a scathing letter which Ms Donelan posted on social media, she said that the actions of UKRI in failing to check on Hamas sympathies with people in key roles were “unacceptable”.” – Sunday Express
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“Sir Keir Starmer faces a growing challenge to his authority after a dozen frontbenchers defied his position on the Israel-Gaza war and demanded an immediate ceasefire. Starmer has said Israel has a right to defend itself and ensure Hamas is unable to mount a similar terrorist attack to the atrocity on 7 October, in which 1,400 people were killed. He has called for a “humanitarian pause”, allowing water and other essential supplies to enter the Gaza Strip. His view mirrors that of the United States but is being tested to breaking point after Israel launched its heaviest bombardment of Gaza, bringing the number of Palestinian deaths to 7,500, according to Hamas’s health ministry. The frontbench rebels issued statements or shared material challenging his stance yesterday, with his office declining to say whether they would be sanctioned.” – Sunday Times
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>Today: ToryDiary: Starmer’s Middle East dilemma. There is far more at stake here than the future of a single political leader.
“Rishi Sunak is planning to delay holding the next General Election until Halloween 2024 – in an attempt to avoid a horror show on polling day, sources have told The Mail on Sunday. With surveys showing the Conservatives trailing Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour by 20 points, Tory strategists have pencilled in October 31 next year as the most likely date for the Election – enough time for the economy to pick up, but not so late as to look desperate. The last possible date for an election is January 28, 2025. Mr Sunak’s advisers are also plotting a pre-Christmas reshuffle to promote young talent such as Pensions Minister Laura Trott to become one of the ‘faces’ of the party in the media in the run-up to polling day.” – Mail on Sunday
“Jeremy Hunt will leave a decision about whether to cave in to pressure from Tory MPs over tax cuts until the ‘last possible moment’ before next month’s Autumn Statement in the hope that he will receive more positive projections about the state of the economy. The Chancellor, who will deliver his statement on November 22, has spent the past week poring over figures produced by the Office for Budget Responsibility to assess whether he has any scope for giveaways such as a change to stamp duty rates. But Treasury aides say that his hands are tied because any measures have to be ‘both affordable and not inflationary’, which rules out changes such as income tax cuts… There is mounting opposition to the Government’s ‘stealth tax raid’, with economists calculating that its freeze on tax thresholds could raise up to £75 billion a year in total by 2027-8 – including from pensioners.” – Mail on Sunday
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“Kemi Badenoch appeared to break ranks with the Government over the controversial tourist tax that was reintroduced after last year’s mini-budget. The Business Secretary said companies had raised the issue of bringing back VAT-free shopping with her ‘a lot’ and that she was ‘very keen for them to know we understand the arguments that they’re making’. Her comments are some of the most positive yet from a Cabinet Minister and appear to put her at odds with the Government, which insists it will not row back on the tax. VAT-free shopping allows travellers to buy items in the UK to claim back VAT as they return home. The Mail has spearheaded a campaign which has the support of more than 400 businesses calling for it to be ditched.” – Mail on Sunday
“Rishi Sunak’s government will use next week’s king’s speech to advance expansion of North Sea oil and gas exploration, as well as pro-car policies, in the hope of opening up a clear divide over the green agenda with Labour, the Observer understands. Energy industry sources and senior figures in Whitehall say they expect ministers to announce legislation to usher in a new annual system for awarding oil and gas licences, despite the UK’s commitments to move away from fossil fuels and reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050. The king’s speech… is also expected to include measures that will explicitly favour motorists, including making it more difficult for local authorities to introduce 20mph speed limits or supposedly unpopular schemes such as the ultra-low emission zone (Ulez), recently expanded in London.” – The Observer
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“A District Council is continuing to fight the government over its use of the four-day week for its staff amidst mounting pressure to scrap the scheme. Local authorities across England have been told to abandon plans for four-day weeks, while telling those looking to carry out future trials to stop immediately. South Cambridgeshire district council, believed to be the only English authority experimenting with a four-day week, says the change in schedule has led to improved recruitment and savings of £500,000 on agency workers. Office staff and refuse collectors at the council are paid the same for working 20 per cent fewer hours… However, the government says it is concerned service quality will slip with the changes to working practices, publishing new guidance this week stating the practice did not provide value for the tax payers money.” – Mail on Sunday
“All new houses in England and Wales will have to be sold as freehold properties as part of sweeping government reforms to phase out the “feudal” leasehold system. The reforms are set out in a Leasehold Bill being drawn up by Michael Gove, the levelling-up secretary, for the King’s Speech, which will also overhaul the process of extending leases and give leaseholders more power to manage their building and service charges. Whitehall sources said it would make it easier and cheaper for millions of people to buy their homes outright. While many people are freeholders who own their properties outright, about ten million are leaseholders in England and Wales. They own the right to occupy their home but the building or land is owned by the freeholder or landlord.” – Sunday Times
“A cabinet minister has said there is no “cultural issue” with Tory MPs after Crispin Blunt became the eighth Conservative during this parliament to lose the whip over allegations of sexual misconduct. Gillian Keegan, the education secretary, said all the individual incidents were separate and that the prime minister expected due process in the investigation into Blunt. Blunt, a former justice minister and the MP for Reigate, was arrested by police on Wednesday on suspicion of rape and possession of drugs, before being bailed. He said in a statement that he expected to be cleared and made reference to an allegation of “extortion” that he had previously reported to police. Blunt’s suspension follows a string of unrelated cases in which Tory MPs have lost the whip over allegations of sexual misconduct…” – The Observer
“Sue Gray’s son is running to try to become the Labour MP for a plum seat at the next General Election. Labour activist Liam Conlon is battling to be the candidate for Beckenham and Penge in south London. The news comes just months after The Sun on Sunday revealed claims he had been boasting that he was being “groomed” for a safe Labour seat. Furious Tory MPs last night said it raises fresh questions over Ms Gray’s impartiality when she was at the civil service. The former partygate inquisitor – who hauled former Prime Minister Boris Johnson over the coals for breaking lockdown rules – quit her role as a mandarin earlier this year to run Sir Keir Starmer’s office… Westminster’s ethics watchdog cleared Ms Gray in June to take up the position working for the Labour leader.” – Sun on Sunday
“The Alba party has its first ever MSP in the form of one-time SNP leadership candidate Ash Regan, who has defected from the party because it has “lost its focus on independence”. Regan’s decision to join Alba – which was set up by former SNP leader and ex-Scottish first minister Alex Salmond – was announced as the party’s conference took place in Glasgow. The former Scottish government minister said: “I could not, in good conscience, continue to be part of a party that has drifted from its path and its commitment to achieving independence as a matter of urgency.” Moving away from the issue that forms the “very foundation” of the SNP’s existence has prompted Regan to jump ship, just over two weeks after MP Dr Lisa Cameron announced she was quitting the SNP to join the Conservatives.” – The Observer